Schalke 04 have announced the signing of former Hertha BSC Berlin midfielder Raffael from Dynamo Kiev.

Raffael made 110 Bundesliga appearances for Hertha

Raffael, 27, will join Schalke on a loan until the end of the season, and will have the option to make the deal permanent should they wish.

"Because of our continued injury blows - take Ibrahim Affelay's injury sidelining him for two months - we have decided to do business in the transfer market," Schalke general manger Horst Heldt said.

"We are delighted the signing of Raffael is now complete. He gives us more attacking options."

The Brazilian joined Dynamo Kiev from Hertha BSC Berlin last summer. He made nine league appearances for the Ukrainian side and also featured in two Champions League games and one qualifier, making him ineligible for the knockout stages of the competition.

"I feel honoured to be allowed to wear the Schalke 04 shirt and I am more than delighted to be back in Bundesliga," he said. "The fans can be sure, I will give all I have so that the club is successful."

In 110 Bundesliga appearances for Berlin, Raffael scored 23 goals, and during Hertha's promotion-winning campaign in 2011 he led the club back into Bundesliga with ten goals in 30 games.

After Berlin's relegation this summer, he left the club in an €8 million move and signed a contract at Kiev until 2016.